#Richie Mo'unga

By Alex McLeod of RugbyPass.com Ian Foster's 35-man All Blacks squad will assemble for the first time today in Whakatane as preparations for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series get underway. Plenty of anticipation has arisen since last week's confirmation that the All Blacks and Wallabies will do battle with each other for the first time in over a…

Queensland Reds 15 (Richie Asiata try 56m, Lawson Creighton try 71min; con, pen) HT: 21-3 Yellow card: Pablo Matera 55min The early exit of Sevu Reece and Pablo Matera's yellow card were the biggest concerns for Scott Robertson as the Crusaders spluttered their way to an unconvincing 28-15 win over the Queensland Reds in Christchurch on Friday…

Admittedly, the now 20-year-old Crusaders prop was "skinnier back then", but he'd always played centre and No 8 growing up in Perth, and No 8 when he returned to New Zealand and played for Kerikeri High School. But, having earned a scholarship at Auckland's St Kentigern College, he figured he'd best roll with coach Tai Lavea's instructions at the…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, December 26, 2022. Louis Rees-Zammit went off injured within the opening 10 minutes of Gloucester's Christmas Eve defeat to Leicester Tigers. The Wales winger suffered an ankle injury just six weeks before the Six Nations begins. The severity of the injury is not yet known but the ankle was heavily…

2022 has thrown up plenty of storylines in the world of Rugby. From last-minute finishes, controversy and world-class action, the past 12 months have thrown up plenty of exciting stories across the Rugby landscape. With this in mind, Rugby.com.au breaks down the best stories from 2022, starting from 12-7. 12. Crusaders remain on top The inaugural…

How impressive was last weekend's action? The Crusaders shocked at home to lose their first game of the season, the Reds putting on a near perfect performance against the Rebels, while the Waratahs came oh, so close to beating the Brumbies. This weekend's sure to be just as exciting with the Reds hosting the Brumbies as they battle for top spot,…

With New Zealand's first match in the Rugby World Cup just a few days away, we take a look at the star players who will be key to their Webb Ellis trophy prospects in Japan. The skipper silenced critics from the defeat to Australia in Bledisloe 1 as he orchestrated his forwards and battered the Wallabies defence in their final match at Eden Park.…

A returning Crusader, a local boy done good, and a few fresh out-of-towners have made the Crusaders squad for 2023. The 38-strong playing group, made up of familiar faces and some brand-new talent, will assemble at Rugby Park in Christchurch in early December, all set for their first fixture on February 24 at Orangetheory Stadium. The big news for…

It's not one they can rebuff with their might on the park either. It's rather something head coach Scott Robertson, his fellow coaches, and leaders within the squad, will have to face off it. It is how they will remain hungry and not let complacency creep in. How they will put their enormous success behind them and remain motivated enough to roll…

Scott Barrett has been replaced at blindside flanker by Akira Ioane, with Tupou Vaa'i moving onto the bench, while Karl Tu'inukuafe replaces prop Aidan Ross on the bench. Barrett is understood to have an Achilles injury which has hampered him all week. Seconds out, round three. After the poor display and historic loss in Dunedin last weekend, the…

All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith weighed in ahead of their trip to South Africa.Video / Carson Bluck Caleb Clarke will return for the All Blacks this weekend, taking his place on the wing for the first test against the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium. For their first test in South Africa since 2018, the All Blacks have named a few…

The ninth Rugby World Cup gets underway on Friday in the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, taking place in Asia for the first time as the Japanese hosts - still best known for delivering the biggest shock in the sport's history by beating South Africa in 2015 - look to inspire a nation where interest in rugby is growing at a rate of knots, albeit in a…

After two makeshift seasons, Super Rugby is about to get a whole more super as the competition moves to a full-fledged Pacific competition. Making it all the more appealing for fans - and administrators - is that the competition's future will be announced Friday, with the competition to be set in stone until 2030. That will be music to the ears of…

Sam Cane has retained the All Blacks captaincy as part of Friday's squad announcement for this year's Rugby Championship - coach Ian Foster's first public comments since the cancelled press conference last Sunday after the side's series loss to Ireland. Foster named a 36-man squad for this year's tournament in Auckland on Friday afternoon after…

A thrilling final weekend of Super Rugby Pacific left the Waratahs with an unexpected foe, and the Force missing out at the death as the quarterfinal match ups, times, days and venues were locked in. A shock loss by the Brumbies against Moana Pasifika meant they went from third to fourth, and avoiding the Tahs, who stayed sixth with their late loss…

The four nations of the clunkily named Rugby Championship do battle after dodgy July series. Argentina nipped a depleted Scotland at the last moment. South Africa laboured to a brutal win over a limited, dour Wales. Australia was overpowered by England after a hopeful first Test. New Zealand lost every facet of their series against Ireland. With…

With just one weekend left before finals in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, the top eight is almost set but the jostling for positions is still intense. This is every team's best and worst case scenario for their final position and the predicted quarterfinal opponents for the top eight. How do the finals work? There is a straight forward three…

IS it just me or does it leave a sour taste in everyone's mouth that Gregor Townsend dropped Finn Russell out of the Scotland squad altogether, offering an excuse that no one bought, before throwing him straight back into the starting XV in a crude attempt to salvage his own coaching reputation with that long awaited inaugural win over New…

Scotland continue their end-of-year campaign with a third successive match at Murrayfield, and this one is set to be their toughest yet, as New Zealand's All Blacks travel to Edinburgh looking for a third consecutive victory on their tour of the Northern Hemisphere. Scotland's two Tests this autumn have been a mixed bag, with Gregor Townsend's men…

Fijian Pita Gus Sowakula has been dropped from the New Zealand All Blacks for the upcoming Rugby Championships. Sowakula, who made his debut in the series loss against Ireland, is replaced in the loose forwards by Shannon Frizell. George Bower, Hoskins Sotutu and Sevu Reece are the Fijians named in the squad with Sam Cane retaining the…

It's a mouth-watering prospect, despite the very real chance that it may never see the light of day. The best of the Wallabies and All Blacks, playing in a combined ANZAC team, in a one-off match against the British & Irish Lions at the MCG? To borrow a line from recent KFC, "shut up and take my money!" It appears, however, that Rugby Australia…

Week two went next level in the drama and force of the north-south conflict. Despite the win-loss count, the south made some ground back. North No. 1 (Ireland) struggled to put an experimental version of South Africa (south No. 2) away, their attack stymied and depending on marginal passes, looking spent in the last ten minutes and like the final…

WALES host New Zealand in the first of four autumn internationals TOMORROW. The Welsh side will be looking to pull off a famous victory as they have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953. Wayne Pivac's side will then face Argentina, Georgia and Australia to top off the autumn internationals. The All Blacks have already defeated Japan and will now…

Anyone who says they know for sure who'll win the Super Rugby Pacific final at Eden Park is dreaming, kidding, or chasing clicks online. The TAB fractionally favours the Blues, $1.80for the win to the Crusaders' $1.92. Here's why I think it's an even-money punt. Home ground advantage? Eden Park will be packed, and quite rightly Auckland fans love…

Chris Rattue ranks the best sports to watch this weekend and beyond. 5) Rugby League World Cup: Samoa v France, Monday, 6am - Spark This is the pick of the World Cup action, althoughIreland could test the Kiwis (Saturday, 7.30am) if they continue to struggle finding top gear. Samoa and France will go toe-to-toe in Warrington for a quarter-final…

A returning Crusader, a local boy done good and a few fresh out-of-towners - here's your first look at the Crusaders squad for 2023. These boys will represent the club and the history of the franchise when they take the field this year, on the hunt for points and trophies. The 38-strong playing group is made up of familiar faces and some brand-new…

Former Blues wing Melani Nanai has signed with the Crusaders for next season. Nanai, who spent five seasons at the Blues, has more recently been playing in England for Worcester. He spent three seasons there before signing with Bay of Plenty for this year's NPC. However, injury prevented him from playing. Other notable signings for the defending…

As the All Blacks embark on their northern hemisphere tour, head coach Ian Foster will know that there are plenty of areas his side need to work on despite winning the Rugby Championship. Some of the team's greatest flaws were exposed during the Championship, and as a result they experienced some record breaking lows. Some of those problems have…

The All Blacks began their preparation for their northern hemisphere tour with an open training session in Nelson this week, ahead of their Test against Japan in just over two weeks' time. They also decided to unearth some footage of the squad in the gym from a few months ago, and Aaron Smith and Richie Mo'unga will be pretty happy with that. That…

The bulk of the Rugby Championship squad has been retained, as the All Blacks set their sights on the Northern Tour, while a number of players from the Ireland series have returned to the squad. Props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi, along with winger Leicester Fainga'anuku, return to Foster's squad. They missed The Rugby Championship, following…

The bulk of the Rugby Championship squad has been retained as the All Blacks set their sights on the Northern Tour whilst a number of players from the Ireland series have returned to the squad. Props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi along with winger Leicester Fainga'anuku return to Foster's squad after missing The Rugby Championship following the…

So the Rugby Championship has been run and won, and though it played out as tightly as anyone can remember through the first month or so, it finished as pundits of all persuasions probably expected. But before we put the two-up panel in the rack for a month - we'll be back in time for the spring tour fixtures - the best way to wrap up the Rugby…

The All Blacks may be struggling for consistency, identity and fluency through this most problematic of seasons, but there is one thing we can rest assured about: the trans-Tasman rugby rivalry is alive and kicking ahead of the Rugby Championship finale against the Wallabies on Saturday night. The events of Bledisloe I at Marvel Stadium just over a…

The 2022 Rugby Championship was undoubtedly the finest edition the tournament has seen since its inauguration in 2012. There was unprecedented competition, with all four sides having a chance to push for the title for much of the championship. Ultimately it was the All Blacks who triumphed with yet another title. Planet Rugby breaks down five…

All you need to know ahead of the second Bledisloe test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies at Eden Park (kickoff at 7.05pm): It all comes down to this, well sort of. The All Blacks can move into pole position on the Rugby Championship table with victory in the second Bledisloe Cup test. In terms of the Rugby Championship, all four teams could…

New Zealand vs Australia: The All Blacks and Wallabies have the first move in the final play for the Rugby Championship. Australia appear to have been fired up by what went down last Thursday but can they pull one over on New Zealand. Injuries have forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with captain Sam Cane,…

With the Bledisloe Cup wrapped up for 2022, the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship and a 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park are on the line on Saturday night. Match details: All Blacks v Australia, Saturday 24 September, 7.05pm NZT, Eden Park, Auckland Played: 174 Won: All Blacks 121, Australia 45, Drawn 8 Last time: All Blacks 39, Australia 37 (15…

All Blacks skipper Sam Cane has been ruled out of this weekend's Bledisloe Cup test in Auckland due to injury. ' Cane is one of a number of forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with Scott Barrett, David Havili and Quinn Tupaea also unavailable for selection this week. Sam Whitelock will lead a side which has…

The All Blacks selectors, Head Coach Ian Foster, Assistant Head Coach John Plumtree and former All Black Grant Fox, have named their squad for the 2021 edition of the Rugby Championship. The 36-strong squad is as follows: (Age, Sky Super Rugby club, provincial union and Test caps in brackets.

We were treated to a stunning spectacle of rugby last weekend which saw all four Southern Hemisphere nations take the chocolates, while France was the only team from up north to collect a win. With several series on the line can England, Ireland or Wales fight their way to victory in Game 2? Read on for all the line-ups and key team news as it…

Will there be bolters? Who is on the outer? Who is in white-hot form? There's certainly plenty to ponder after nine rounds of Super Rugby, which featured no shortage of bruising Kiwi derbies. As the three-match test series against Ireland in July creeps closer, rugby scribes mix both form and availability and name varied All Blacks XVs. Marc…

As with many New Zealand-Australia clashes, the two rivals played a game for the ages Thursday when they collided in The Rugby Championship. The All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup and kept a stranglehold of first place in the Rugby Championship standings in a 37-35 thriller at Marvel Stadium, but the triumph did not come without some…